Anupama Chopra reviews Anurag Kashyap's latest crime drama "Nishaanchi" for The Hollywood Reporter India, drawing comparisons to the director's earlier work in the Gangs of Wasseypur films. Anupama notes that while Nishaanchi shares similar DNA with Kashyap's previous small-town North India narratives—featuring colorful characters, violence, betrayal, and dark humor—it struggles to escape the shadow of its predecessors. She praises debutant Aaishvary Thackeray's assured dual performance as twins Babloo and Dabloo, highlighting how he crafts two wholly distinct personalities with solid screen presence.
While Anupama commends the performances, particularly Vedika Pinto as dancer Rinku and Monika Panwar as the twins' strong-willed mother Manjari, she finds the nearly three-hour runtime excessive and the storytelling dramatically inert. She singles out Vineet Kumar Singh's work and a powerful scene where Manjari confronts the villain Ambika (played by Kumud Mishra) as highlights. However, Anupama ultimately describes the film as a mix of fun and frustration, noting that while Anurag creates passages of poetry, the familiar plot and stop-start rhythm prevent Nishaanchi from reaching the heights of his best work.
